Three former Fort Hood soldiers were sentenced to federal prison for a 2024 illegal immigrant smuggling scheme that ended in a high-speed chase with Border Patrol.
FORT HOOD, Texas — Three former Fort Hood soldiers have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a 2024 human smuggling operation that ended in a high-speed chase and a collision with a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle.
Enrique Jauregui, 26, was sentenced in federal court in Pecos to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to aiding the transportation of illegal immigrants for financial gain. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and will serve three years of supervised release following his sentence.
Jauregui organized the smuggling event, recruiting fellow soldiers Angel Palma, 21, and Emilio Mendoza Lopez, 22. Court records show Jauregui provided pickup locations and instructions to the two, and promised to pay them after the illegal immigrants were dropped off.
On Nov. 27, 2024, Palma and Mendoza Lopez left Fort Hood, then known as Fort Cavazos, and traveled to Presidio, where they picked up three undocumented immigrants. As they attempted to transport the individuals, they were spotted by Border Patrol agents and led officers on a high-speed pursuit. During the chase, their vehicle struck a marked Border Patrol unit, injuring an agent.
The soldiers and the undocumented individuals left the scene on foot. All were arrested shortly afterward, except Palma, who was arrested later at a hotel in Odessa.
Palma and Mendoza Lopez each pleaded guilty and were sentenced in May to 24 months in federal prison, along with three years of supervised release.
“These three individuals turned their backs on their values in a way that put our nation at risk, and put at risk the lives of others, including the lives of law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas.